Tort Law Fundamentals

Definition: Tort law deals with civil wrongs, where one person's actions or omissions cause harm to another person.
Key concepts:
- Negligence: failure to exercise reasonable care, resulting in harm to another person.
- Intentional torts: intentional acts that cause harm to another person, such as battery or assault.
- Strict liability: liability without fault, often applied to product liability cases.
Types of damages:
- Compensatory damages: awarded to compensate for harm or injury.
- Punitive damages: awarded to punish the defendant.

Definition: Contract law deals with legally binding agreements between two or more parties.
Key concepts:
- Offer and acceptance: essential elements of a valid contract.
- Consideration: something of value exchanged between parties.
- Capacity: parties must have the legal capacity to enter into a contract.
Types of contracts:
- Bilateral contracts: both parties exchange promises.
- Unilateral contracts: one party makes a promise in exchange for an act.
- Implied contracts: contracts implied by the circumstances.

Definition: Comparative constitutions involve the study of constitutional law across different countries.
Key concepts:
- Constitutional supremacy: the constitution is the highest law in the land.
- Separation of powers: division of power between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
- Fundamental rights: basic rights guaranteed to citizens, such as freedom of speech and equality.
Comparative constitutional law:
- Constitutional models: presidential, parliamentary, and hybrid systems.
- Constitutional adjudication: the role of courts in interpreting the constitution.

Definition: Legal method refers to the process of analyzing and applying legal rules to solve legal problems.
Key concepts:
- Legal reasoning: the process of applying legal rules to facts.
- Ratio decidendi: the underlying reason for a judicial decision.
- Obiter dicta: statements made by judges that are not essential to the decision.
Legal research:
- Case law: the study of judicial decisions to identify legal principles.
- Statutory interpretation: the process of interpreting legislation.

Definition: Philosophy of law examines the fundamental nature of law and its relationship with morality and justice.
Key concepts:
- Natural law theory: the idea that law is based on universal moral principles.
- Positivism: the idea that law is based on human-made rules.
- Legal realism: the idea that law is shaped by social and political factors.
Philosophical debates:
- The nature of justice: distributive, retributive, or procedural justice.
- The relationship between law and morality: whether law should reflect moral principles.

Definition: Legal theory examines the underlying principles and concepts that shape the legal system.
Key concepts:
- Legal positivism: the idea that law is based on social facts, rather than moral principles.
- Critical legal studies: a theoretical approach that critiques the role of law in maintaining power structures.
- Feminist legal theory: a theoretical approach that examines the impact of law on gender relations.
Theoretical debates:
- The role of law in shaping social norms and power structures.
- The relationship between law and economics: the impact of economic principles on legal decision-making.

Civil wrongs where one person's actions or omissions cause harm to another person.
Negligence: failure to exercise reasonable care, resulting in harm to another person.
Intentional torts: intentional acts that cause harm to another person, such as battery or assault.
Strict liability: liability without fault, often applied to product liability cases.
Compensatory damages: awarded to compensate for harm or injury.
Punitive damages: awarded to punish the defendant.

Study of constitutional law across different countries.
Constitutional supremacy: the constitution is the highest law in the land.
Separation of powers: division of power between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
Fundamental rights: basic rights guaranteed to citizens, such as freedom of speech and equality.
Constitutional models: presidential, parliamentary, and hybrid systems.
Constitutional adjudication: the role of courts in interpreting the constitution.

Examines the fundamental nature of law and its relationship with morality and justice.
Natural law theory: the idea that law is based on universal moral principles.
Positivism: the idea that law is based on human-made rules.
Legal realism: the idea that law is shaped by social and political factors.
The nature of justice: distributive, retributive, or procedural justice.
The relationship between law and morality: whether law should reflect moral principles.

Examines the underlying principles and concepts that shape the legal system.
Legal positivism: the idea that law is based on social facts, rather than moral principles.
Critical legal studies: a theoretical approach that critiques the role of law in maintaining power structures.
Feminist legal theory: a theoretical approach that examines the impact of law on gender relations.
The role of law in shaping social norms and power structures.
The relationship between law and economics: the impact of economic principles on legal decision-making.